These projects were under way at the site near Khao Yai National Park claimed by the Dhammakaya sect. Photo: Post Today

Narong Khongkham, deputy director-general of the Social Development and Welfare Department, said the temple’s World Peace Valley Meditation Centre at Khao Yai has agreed to return the land after it failed to show legal land ownership documents. It only has receipts of local tax payments for the use of the land, he said.

Mr Narong said authorities will be sent to survey and demarcate the land for the self-help settlement project, adding there are still 4-5 living quarters for monks in the area that need to be demolished.

The World Peace Valley Meditation Centre came under scrutiny following accusations it encroached on Sor Por Kor agricultural reform land, which was allocated to poor and landless farmers for agricultural purposes.

Meanwhile, Khachornsak Phutthanuparp, a prosecutor from the Office of the Attorney-General, said the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has until tomorrow (Aug 11) to finish questioning five monks who are close aides to Phra Dhammajayo, the abbot of the temple, and forward the results to prosecutors handling a money-laundering case.

The summons relate to the case in which Phra Dhammajayo is charged with money laundering and receiving stolen property in connection with the multi-billion baht Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement.

How about all the corrupt thai government officials who did make all these illegal activities possible?
Are they now arrested, locked up, waiting their trial?

Kurt| 10 August 2016 - 09:39:38

Agreed???
How about just confiscate/take it back, and charge the criminal monks who brutally took the land illegally?
Defrock these criminal monks, trail and sentence them.
Lets hope all this illegal monk doings everywhere in Thailand are a eye opener to the normal thai people.